Emergency bumper for vehicles



1924 4 sheetsheet 1' April 20 1926.

F. R. L. STOTTAET AL EMERGENCY 'BUMPER FOR VEHICLES Filed Angus@ 1e 1,581,301 F. R. l.. sToTT ET AL EMERGENCY BUMPER FOR VEHICLES April 20 1926..

Filed August le5- 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y ...HV

Smm/Wow Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oiu= 1c1 :;,fv

FREDERICK R. L. STO-TTk AND WILLIAM ARTHUR TODD, 0F HAMILTON, NTAIO, CANADA, ASSIGNQRS OF FORTY ONE-HUItDREDTIIS TO OSCAR W. HAIST, OF HAMIL- TON, CANADA, yFORTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO( SAID STOTT, ANDIWENTY ONE-HUN- DREDTHS TO SAID TODD.

yEIvLERGENcY BUMPER FOR VEHICLES.

Appiieation mea August 16,1924. sel-iai No. 732,453.

To all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that FREDERICK R. LVS'ro'r'r and WILLIAM E. ARTHUR TODD', both sube jects of the King of Great Britain, and re.- eiding at Hamilton, in the county of Wentworth and Province of Ontario, Canada,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency Bumpers for Vehicles, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to automobiles and has special reference to a fender for automobiles and other vehicles designed to protect persons from being run over byy such vehicles. Y f 1 Owing to the various conditions arising in the operation of automobiles it is not practicable to provide such vehicles with a permanently positioned fender. For instance., Such a fender would interfere seriously with the ordinary parking of such a vehicle.

One important object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved and novel form of fender which, under ordinary conditions, will be so housed or col lasped as not to interfere with any of the ordinary running operations and which, furthermore, will not present anv unsightly appearance at the front of the vehicle.

In the driving of an automobile the operator, especially in emergency has use for both of his hands and both of hisafeet. Consequently any arrangement of housed fender which requires the operator to manipulate a crank, pull on a lever, or perform any other operation which takes any appreciable time, cannot be used in practice.

A secon-d important object of the present invention is to provide an improved fender of this class wherein the operation of moving the fender from housed position to position of use will be effected by'means of merely touching a lever or button on the part of the operator, the means effecting with great rapidity the succeeding operations.

A third important object of the invention is toprovide a device of this description which can, at the will of the operator, lbe protracted vand retracted by compressed air, the whole being of novel and improve-d characten 1 A fourth important obj-ect of the inven-4 tion is to provide an improved pivot and air supply means for devices of this character.

A fifth important object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofcontrol valve. f

lith the above and other ,objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings and specically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the lseveral views, and:

Figure l is a sidexelevation of the improved fender removed from the vehicle,

the devicebeing shown in retracted position in full line and in protracted position in dotted lines. l i

Figure 2 -is a corresponding front elevation thereof, Y

Figure shows one side of the device in plan, the remaining side being symmetrical with respecty thereto.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line t--a of Figure Al.

Figure 5 a vertical longitudinal section through one of the side cylinders of the device. n l

Figure G is an enlarged detail view, partly in Section, showing the support for the upper part of the vehicle or center cylinder.

Figure 7 is a detail view, partly in section, of one end of the apron housing.

Figure 8 is an enlarge-d detail section through the central Vpivot and air distribut/ ing valve. 1 y

` Figure 9 is a diagrammatical'view of the device asV applied to the front of a vehicle and showing the piping arrangement.

Figure l0 is a vertical median section through the. centeivll of the vertical cylinder of the device.

Figure 11 is a section on the line kll-li of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is lan enlarged detail front view' of thel stirrup and the bottom of the vertical cylinder.

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail section on the linevjl3`13 of Figure 8.

Figure 14 is a top plan view of a special form of control valve particularly adapted for use in this connection.

Figure is a section on the line 153-15 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is section on the line 16-16 of Figure 15, showing the moving part of the valve in one position.

Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 16 but showing the moving part of the valve in a second position.

Briefly describing the device, the essential parts are an apron supported like a window shade on a spring roller, a bar on the free edge of. said apron, a pair of compressed air cylinders connected to the bar for shoving the free edge of the apron forward, a vertical cylinder for projecting said free edge downward, a valve controlling the operation of said cylinders and pipe connections leading from the valve to thecylinders. As auxiliary parts there are preterably used a small air conipressor driven from the engine of the vehicle and a storage tank from which the valve receives its air supply. These parts will now be described in detail. The side frame members of the vehicle are shown at 1() Figure 3 and projecting from each of these side frame members is a bracket 11 whereon is mounted a bearing plate 12 Figure 4 having at each side an upstanding bearing 13. .ihrough the bearings 18 passes a hollow shaft or pin 14, the two ends of which are so bored as to leave a septum 15 in the middle. Screwed into each end of the shaft 14 is a pipe connection 16 for purposes presently to be understood. Pivotaly mounted on the shaft 14 is a rear cylinder head 17 having a chamber 18 surrounding the pin 14 and the ends of this chamber are separated from each other by a shoulder 19 which may either be formed centrally of the pin or integrally with the cylinder head 1.7. The hollow ends of the pin 14 con'imunicate with the respective ends of the chamber 18 through ports 20. One of these ports 2O communicates through its end of the chamber 18 with a passage 21 opening into the rear end of an outer cylinder 22, this rear end being tired in the cylinder head 17. The other port 2O communicates through its end of the chamber 18 with a pipe 2S which extends beneath the cylinder 22 and opens into said cylinder adjacent its front or free end. At the front end of the cylinder 22 is a front cylinder head 24 provided with a stutiing box 25 wherethrongh extends an inner cyllinder 26 having on its rear end a packed piston 2T which, in turn, carries a cylinder head 2S having a centrally disposed opening 29. At the front end of the cylinder 26 is. a front cylinder head and guide 30 provided with a suitable stuliing box 31 through kwhich passes a piston rod 32 carrying on its rear end a piston 33. Guide pins 84 may be used to guide the central portions of the longK inner cylinder 26. Each of the piston rods 32- carries on its projecting end a head 35 on which is supported a ground wheel or roller 36. Secured to each head 35 is a bracket 37 and these brackets grip a rod 88 to which is attached the front edge of an apron 39 made of any suitable material such as woven wire, canvas, or the like.

Ext-ending across the front of the automobile is a housing 40V which is connected to the frame members 10 by brackets 41. `Within this housing is a roller 42 which is normally wound in one direction by a spring 43, as seen in Figure 7, |The rear edge of the apron 39 is secured to this roller and with the device in inoperative position the heads 35 lie, as shown in Figure 1, immediately below the housing so that the apron is practically all rolled up in the housing.

1t will now be plain that by admitting air through one of the pipe connect-ions 16 it will pass through the passage 21 and, if at the same time, air is allowed to escape through the other pipe connection, the telescopic cylinders 26 and the piston rods 32 will be project-ed forwardly thus carrying the free edge of the apron forward and unrolling the same.

The under side of the cylinder heads 24 are connected by a stirrup member 44, the central portion of which is depr ssed, as can be seen in Figure 2. Carried centrally by the housing 40 is a` pair of brackets 45 which project rearwardly of the housing 40 and are formed with vertical slot-s 46 Figure (i having crencllated sides 4T. Fitting in these crenellated sides are bearing members 48 which are toothed to engage the crenellations so that they can be verti cally adjusted. These bearing men'ibers supportl a pivot pin 49 similar to the pin 14.l That is to say al bore 50 Figure 10 is provided in each end of the pivot pin and pipe connections 51 are attached to the ends of said pin in communication with the bores. This pin forms a journal for a bearing sleeve 52 which is formed on the upper end of an air cylinder 533 and has at one end a chamber 54 which communicates with the interior of the head 53, and at its other end a chamber which is connected by a pipe with the .lower end of a cylinder 5T Figure 10 attached to the head to depend therefrom. This cylinder hasahead 5S on its lower end provided with a suitable stufiing box 59 through which extends an inner cylinl der GO Figure S open at its top end and having a stuffing box 51 at its ,lower end through which passes a piston rod 62. The cylinder 60 has at its upper end a piston 63 above the opening with which the pipe 5G comunicates. Also the cylinder 60 has a lateral opening 64 below the head 65 carried by the piston rod 62.V Oh the stirrup 44 is mounted aV bracket 6e having spaced bearings 67 supporting` a pin 68 which thus swivels the saidv bearings. Through the pin 68' is screwed the lower end ot the piston rod 62,

suitable loci; nuts 69 being employed to pre- J shoved downwardly carrying,` the heads 241i' with them whicl'i,of course. moves the front edge ot the apron downward. Then air-'is admitted below the head 64 through the pipe 56 the inner cylinder is lirst pushed upward until the opening;` 64 registers oppositely the inlet of the pipe whereon the piston 65 will also be pushed upwardly. Suitable guide pins 7 0 `are provided for the inner cylinder 60 as can be seen best in igurell. Renterrinp` now to Figure 9, there is indicated a small air compressor k71 which is connected by a pipe 72 with a storage tank 7?), the latter beine' inl turn connected by a pipe 7e. with a valve body or casing' 75, vthis valve being' presently described in detail. The. pipe connections 51 and 16 also lead to this valve body.

The valve casing 75 is located convenient to the operator and forms a hollow cylindrical body having a bottom 76. This bottom has a threaded opening` 77 for the reception oit' the pipe from a storage reservoir. `Screwed into the upper end of the casina` 75 a bonnet- 78 provided with apacking gland 79 wherethrough passes a valve stemY 80 lit-ted at its lower endin a. socket 81, formed in the bottom. The bonnet 78 and the bottom 76 are provided with annular channel portions to receive th-e edges ot a hollow cylindrical valve 81 having an inwardly projecting socket 82 which embraces the valve stem SO, the latter being providedA with a lug` 83 fitting,r between the arms of the socket S2 so as to turn the valve as the valve stem is rotated. The opening 77 comniunicar-es with the interior ot the cylindrical valve. The wall ot the casing 75 is provided in two places with three openings, two

ot which are threaded as at 85 while the other is a plain openingBG. These plain openings are simply exhaust openings while the threaded openings are' attached the pipes from the various cylinders, the pipes tor protraction from the outside cylinders and central cylinder being' connected respectively to the opening closest to one eX- haust port and the second opening` nearest the same exhaust port while, similarly the retraction pipes are connected to the other set. Formed in the valve and communieating` with the space into which the opening 77 leadsis a port 87. Also ports 88 are provided at each side oit the opening,r 84s. These ports 88 are suliiciently long` to bridge all three sets ci? the openings S5 `and 86 when registered therewith while the port 87 is only intended to bridge tworof the openings 85 when moved to register therewith. Carried by theupper end ot the 'valve stem 8O is a handle or lever '89 on which is a spring` pressed lever 90 having a linger 91 normally held in a suitable recess'fl?j so that the valve is heldA ylroni turning. Suitable spring means, such as are shown at 93, is used to turn the valve from its neutral position to projectingposition whenever the operator taps down on the lever 90 to free the valve `lever 89. Thus the operator does not have to actually move the valve to open position. The neutral position is shown in Figure 15. Vith the valve in the position shown in Figure. 15, if the linger 91 be released the valve moves around so that the lov-Jer port Sti projects the lower set ot openings 85 and S6. This shows the lower ends ot' the cylinder in communication with the atmosphere. it the'saine time air under pressure is first admitted to the central cylinder `through the lirst oi the ports 85, passing for this purpose throught-he port 87. This shovcs the stirrup downward and in'imediately thereafter the secondv port is brought into communication with air under vpressure and the edge of the apron projected forward. In raising' the device the reverse operation takes place, the valve being moved to the position shown in Figure 16. In the under side of the valve 78 is a pin 94: which moves in a groove formed in the bottom 76. rl`his pin acts as a stop to limit movement of the valve 81. In order to preventinjury-to the housing a spring bumper 96 isl preferably mounted thereon. v

,lhere has thus been provided a simple ano eliicient device of the kind described and for the purpose .specilied o v It is obvious that minor changes may' he made inthe form and construction ot the invention withoutl departing;` from the material spirit thereof. It is not. therefore, de-

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pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing' in vertical arcs, and proviued with pistons and rods, said rods being` connected to the tree edge ot the apron, and pneumatic means tor raising; and lowering the trent ends of said cylinders.

' 3. ln a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing@` in vertical arcs, and provided with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the free edge of the apron, a stirrup connecting' the ends of said rods, and a substantially vertical pneumatic cylinder having` a piston and a piston rod connected to said stiirup to raise and lower the saine.

in a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller on which said apron is normally wound. means to move the tree edge of said apron downwardly and upwardly, other means to irove said tree edge forwardly and rearwardly, and spring` means tor rewinding the apron on said roller when unwound therefrom.

in a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing in vertical arcs, and provided with pistons and rods, said. rods being conn-cted to the tree edge the apron, pneumatic means for raising and lowering the trent ends ot said cylinders, andA spring means tor rewinding,r the apron on said roller when unwound therefrom.

6. ln a vehicle fender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends t0 swing in vertical arcs and provided with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the tree edge oi the apron, a stirrup connecting the ends ot said rods, a suhstantially vertical pneumatic cylinder" having' a piston and a piston rod connected to said stirrup to raise and lower the same, and sprintT means tor rewinding the apron on said roller when unwound therefrom.

7. in a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally wound, pneun'iatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing` in vertical arcs, provided with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the tree edge ot the apron, pneumatic means for raisingand lowering the front ends ot said cylinders, and a single multiple port valve for controlling the pneumatic devices.

8. ln a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon whicu said apron is .normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing in vertical arcs, and provided with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the freel edge ot the apron, a stirrup connecting theV ends of said rods, a substantially vertical pneumatic cylinder' having a piston and a 'piston rod connected to said stirrup to raise and lower the same, and a single multiple port valve for controlling the pneumatic devices.

9. ln a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is' normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing` in vertical arcs and provider with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the tree edge of the apron, pneumatic means tor raising` and loweringY the trent ends ot said cylinders, a single multiple port valve for controlling the pneumatic devices, and spring` means for rewinding' the apron on said roller when unwound therefrom.

l0. in a vehicle fender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted attheir rear ends to swing` in vertical arcs and provided with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the tree edge ot the apron, a stirrup connecting the ends ot said rods, a substantially vertical pneumatic cylinder having a piston and a' piston rod connected to said stirrup to raise and lower the same, a single nmltiple port valve for controlling the pneumatic devices, and spring` means for rewinding the apron on said roller when unwound therefrom.

il. in a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally woundv` pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing in vertical arcs, provided with pistons and rods, iaid rods being connected to the tree edge of the apron, pneumatic means for raising` and lowering the Jront ends of said cylinders, a single multiple port valve for cont-rolling the pneumatic devices; in combination with an air compressor, and a storage tank ted by said compressor and communicating with said valve.

12. ln a vehicle tender, an apron, a roller upon which said apron is normally wound, pneumatic cylinders pivoted at their rear ends to swing in vertical arcs, and provided with pistons and rods, said rods being connected to the tree edge ot the apron, a stirrup connecting' the ends ot said rods, a substantially vertical pneumatic cylinder having' a piston and a piston rod connected to said stirrup to raise and lower the saine, a single multiple port valve for controllingl the pneumatic devices; in combination with an air compressor, and a storage tank fed by said compressor and communieating` with said valve.

ln witness whereof we have aiiixed our signatures.

FREDERCK R. L. STOTT. WV. E. ARTHUR TODD. 

